Shimouchino Kumano Shrine (Mitake Kannon)
Main Image Cliff-carved Kannon Bosatsu Images Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
Impression TagsMysteryDepthStillness
DescriptionOn the hill behind Shimouchino Kumano Shrine, long revered as a place of mountain Buddhist practice, Kannon figures are carved directly into rock faces. The Amakusa branch of the Kumamoto Shrine Association specifically describes three cliff carvings, while a local sign reportedly refers to 33 figures on rocks across the hillside. Inscriptions at the site are said to record completion in 1800, work by three stonecarvers from Shimonoura, and a commission by Taikan of Tomyoji Temple. The Kannon Hall on the hill is said to have been founded in 1912. These rare Amakusa carvings preserve traces of the blending of Buddhist and Shinto worship. They can be reached on foot from beside the shrine, but the trail is steep and may be slippery.
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